What is Philo? Review, Channel List, Cost, and More

Cord-cutters now have more options than ever to cancel cable while still having access to their favorite channels. Online streaming services are popping up left and right, and it can be hard to keep them all straight! Philo is a relatively new service that’s quickly gaining steam. But what is Philo, and is it worth subscribing to? Our full Philo review will explore the service in-depth.

What is Philo?

Philo is an online streaming service for live TV. It offers a bundle of 55+ channels that you can watch live, over the internet – without cable. It aims to provide a more affordable alternative to cable TV, and it does just that as it’s priced at just $20 per month. There are some important differences to understand, however.

Essentially, Philo is an alternative to cable TV that gives you a lot of what you love about cable – access to live TV from popular networks – without the huge expense. It also skips the need for a long-term commitment, as Philo can be canceled at any time!

Philo keeps costs down primarily by avoiding sports channels. Sports programming is very expensive for providers to carry, making up a significant portion of the average cable bill. By skipping sports, Philo offers a competitive selection of entertainment channels at a rock-bottom price.

So, to sum up – what is Philo? It’s an online streaming service with 55+ mostly-entertainment-and-lifestyle-channels to watch live on all your favorite devices, for only $20 a month!

How does Philo work, though?

How Philo Works

If you’ve recently canceled cable, you may not be familiar with how these online streaming services actually function. Here’s the lowdown on how Philo works.

First and foremost, it’s important to understand that since this service works online, you will need a good internet connection in order to use it.

Second, you’ll need a good streaming device to use. Philo works on devices like Roku, Apple TV, computers and mobile devices.

After 48 hours, you enter your billing information to get another 5 days free

After the 7 days, if you decide to keep it you will be billed $20 per month

You can watch live TV on Philo via your computer’s web browser

Or, download the Philo app on your smartphones and streaming devices

Sign in to your Philo account on any device you want to use Philo

Enjoy live streaming on all your favorite devices!

Browse channels, save favorites, set up automatic recordings and more!

You are free to cancel Philo at any time, as the service is non-contract

Those are the basics. Once you’re signed up, you’ll find the experience to be fairly similar to cable, albeit with a different channel selection and a much lower price tag.

Philo keeps it simple by only offering a single package of channels. Note that they used to have two separate channel packages, so you may see older Philo reviews mentioning this. They are out of date – there is now only one package (55+ channels) to choose from.

So now you know the basics – but what about specific features that Philo offers?

Philo Technical Features

What is Philo bringing to the table in terms of features?

Streaming quality – up to full HD (1080p). Your streaming quality will vary depending on the speed of your internet and other factors.

Frames per second – Most channels are in 30fps. Since Philo doesn’t offer sports, the higher 60fps frame rates are not really necessary.

As you can see from this list, the focus is mostly on entertainment, lifestyle and kid’s channels.

Philo is not a good way to watch sports online, because it offers no dedicated sports networks. It’s also not great for news, as it doesn’t offer any of the big mainstream news networks (although Cheddar News and BBC World News are included). Local/regional networks are also excluded.

What Philo is excellent for is keeping up with your favorite shows, movies, and reality TV at a rock bottom price. No other service comes close to the $20 price tag of Philo. While Sling TV starts at $25/month, it offers only a fraction of the channels on Philo.

So, if you’re looking to save money and don’t care too much about sports, Philo is an excellent option!

How Much Does Philo Cost?

Philo is an affordable service with only one package. The Philo price is $20 a month.

There is no contract, so you can cancel at any time!

Philo Pros & Cons

Is Philo worth it? What do other Philo reviews have to say about the service? Let’s review some pros and cons.

Up to 3 household members can watch simultaneously on their own devices

Cons

No dedicated sports channels

Missing most mainstream news networks

No local channels (NBC, FOX, CBS, etc.)

No add-ons to expand your selection

Philo reviews from other experts and customers alike are largely positive.

Obviously, the service is great for non-sports fans and not really an option for those who want to watch sports online. This is the biggest difference between Philo and some of its competitors.

Is Philo Worth It?

In the end, is Philo worth it?

For most people, yes – absolutely!

Philo is incredibly affordable, and offers many of TV’s most popular channels for just $20 a month. You really can’t beat that bargain, so for cord-cutters looking to save some money this is usually a top recommendation.

For sports fans, Philo doesn’t bring much to the table, unfortunately. Sports are just not a focus of Philo.

While Philo’s selection is not as diverse as a competitor like Hulu with Live TV, it’s price really can’t be beaten.

So, in short – if you don’t mind not having access to sports, Philo is a fantastic deal. If you need sports in your life, you may want to look into other sports streaming options.